Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

Written and directed by Molly Manning Walker, three British teenagers are in high spirits for their girls’ trips in this coming-of age-drama that explores consent, peer pressure, and loss of innocence. This genuine and emotionally charged drama, seamlessly captures the euphoric highs and unsettling lows of what is dubbed a British rite of passage holiday.

For many young Brits, their Rumspringa is a trip to Spanish party hotspots like Malia or Magaluf. This cultural tradition marks an opportunity to party without consequence; get black out drunk, shag as many people as possible, and leave with an epic tale. How To Have Sex illustrates the sober reality of being young, impressionable and vulnerable in an environment without inhibitions.

Mia McKenna-Bruce shines as Tara, a naive, eager-to-please teenager whose journey is both painfully relatable and utterly heartbreaking. There’s something instinctively protective about her presence—she reminds me of Polly Pocket; small and fragile, embodying every fear you’d have for a younger sibling or friend navigating these dangerous waters. McKenna-Bruce performance is raw and gut-wrenching, making Tara’s slow realization of the realities of sex and consent all the more devastating.

Lara Peake is equally effective as the group’s dominant force, Skye, leading the charge in their hedonistic escapades. While How To Have Sex through Tara’s eyes examines consent within a male/female dynamic, it also highlights the pressures that occur within friendships. The expectation to perform, to conform, and to not be the one who “ruins the night” is a significant part of the film’s emotional and relatable weight.

If you ask me, How To Have Sex is one of the best British films in recent history. It sheds light on experiences of a demographic often erased from UK cinema: young adults caught between adolescence and adulthood. It’s not just a movie—it’s a conversation starter, a mirror held up to a culture that rarely acknowledges the complexities of early sexual experiences.

This film was so much more than I expected. It was brilliantly crafted, powerfully performed, and profoundly affecting. Another film with a script I absolutely need to read.

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